


The adoption

by Acop



Series: Severus Snape's Quest [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-27 01:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17756798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acop/pseuds/Acop
Summary: Severus is officially adopted by the Hogwarts House-Elves





	The adoption

Severus watched with trepidation as the Matriarches – eldest female House Elf from each family – set up the adoption ritual. In a few hours, he would truly be a House Elf. 

It had been a month since Severus was officially welcomed among the Hogwarts House Elves tribe. While the other students had gone back home for the summer holidays, he had remained with them. They had given him his own room in Happy’s block, Happy being his favourite family mentor and Dary’s uncle, the first House Elf Severus had met and one of Hogwarts’ most audacious.  
During this month, the Matriarches had made Severus take all kind of tests he had not understood. They had explained that each adoption ritual was different because it depended on various factors specific to the future adoptee.

First, depending on his original specie, the future House Elf had different limitation on his Magic. The change in Oath required an adaptation of his magical core. The Matriarches had carefully measured his core before engraving emeralds with runes which should allow his wizard core to become a House Elf core.  
Second, they had tested Severus magical ability. There were no House Elves more powerful than other, had explained Tilly. Simply, they all had different talents and skills. Severus’ skills would not change because he had become a House Elf, so they needed to determine them to adapt his core the most efficiently.  
Third, the adoption could not happen without Severus entire acceptance. While his mind wholly agreed to it, his Magic may not. The Matriarches had Severus practice several exercises to help him loosen his Magic. They already were impressed when he showed them how he could sense through magic. They also tested him in wandless and wordless Magic which he excelled in. Tilly laughed and said he already was as much House Elf as Wizard.

After what felt like hours watching the Matriarches, they finally stopped fiddling with the various emeralds, runes, candles and other objects needed for the ritual. They nodded to the Strong then went to stand in a circle encompassing all the engraved emerald.

"Severus." Called Stark. "Last time to change your mind."

Severus shook his head and walked to stand in the middle of the Matriarches. Surprisingly, only the House-Elves required to implement the ritual – the Matriarches and the Strong – plus the Healer were present. Severus was glad, he did not want to be stared at even if he knew intellectually there would have been no mockery.  
He breathed deeply, relaxing his body and his magic like he had practised. The Matriarches began tapping their feet and hands in rhythm. It was oddly mesmerizing.

"Isä and Äiti, Father and Mother of all House Elves, please welcome Severus among our tribe. Once lost to us and born as a Wizard, today Severus has finally been found." Intoned the Strong, neither speaking nor chanting, in a strange kind of psalmody which followed the Matriarches hypnotising rhythm. 

Severus felt magic perked up around him, as if taking notice of the Strong summon. It came to envelop him, warm and comforting.

"Let Severus' oath be changed, so that he may join his true family." Continued Stark, brandishing Severus' wand in front of him.

Severus felt his wand vibrate, as if the magic inside was trying to escape. The magic around him felt hotter and hotter, until it was almost suffocating. Severus' wand exploded in a bang, Magic rushing out of it straight toward Severus. Darkness fell on him and he knew no more.

Dum. Dum Dum.  
Severus groaned. Someone was playing drums and preventing him from falling back asleep.  
Dum Dum. Dum.  
Severus sighed and opened his eyes. He almost shrieked as Dary fell back on the ground, as startled by Severus sudden awakening as Severus was by opening his eyes with the House elf's face so close to his own. It was eerily reminiscent of their first meeting.

"Welcome Severus! You are officially one of us!" shouted Dary, excitation making him jump restlessly. "Do you feel the difference?" He asked curiously.

"Not really." Answered Severus truthfully as he took stock of his body. "Why is someone playing drums?" He asked irritated.

Severus watched aghast as Dary suddenly laughed so hard he was almost rolling on the floor. What was so funny?  
He frowned, focusing on the drums. And opened his eyes wide in wonder. There were no drums. Only magic. It thrummed through his body. It pulsed from Dary's laughter. It beat lightly in the flower in front of the bed.

It was like magic was amplified. Severus followed the different sparks in magic, identifying those he knew with ease, discovering he also felt others which had been foreign until now. He followed the tiny magic beats of the little owlets currently residing inside Hagrid's hut while they recovered from their fall from their nest. He followed the Magic staccato of the unicorns running on Hogwarts ground as they chased each other. He followed the languid rhythm of Joki, the river which flowed from Hogwarts undergrounds toward the Loch Ness. He followed a multitudes of different pulses and beats, each time amazed. 

Sharp pain in his hand jolted Severus back to himself. He scowled at Dary, not comprehending why his friend had pinched him that hard.

"You were getting lost in magic." Explained Dary. "Uncle Happy said you are not to explore magic unsupervised until he says so."

Lost in magic. Severus had not even realised... He wondered if it was because he had already trained himself to feel through magic, also the scale had been ridiculously small compared to what he now experienced. He had begun feeling as he was used to, not realizing he was forgetting his own sense of self until it would have been to late, if not for Dary.

"Awake for less than five minutes and already causing trouble because of your curiosity." Grumbled Happy as he came to check on Severus. 

He put his hand on Severus' head for a brief moment before nodding.

"As I thought, you are able to feel magic extremely far away. Some of us only are able to feel magic in our territory, meaning Hogwarts' grounds. I suspected that would not be your case, based on your experience and the results of the tests the Matriarches ran. You will have to be careful until you are used to it." Happy smiled suddenly. "It will be really useful for Mistress' new project. She wants to allow some Shields to act outside of Hogwarts, since our students do not stop from being under our protection simply because they go back home. However, it requires some particular skills. Congratulations.” concluded Happy gleefully. “You now are one of the five House Elves who will first take part in this project.”

Severus felt himself grow faint. Was it not going a bit fast?  
Happy laughed again.

“Do not worry Severus. You won’t be needed tomorrow. You must learn before you can help others.”

Severus nodded, relieved. Happy was having far too much fun at his expanse. The House Elf was still watching Severus with a wide, almost demented smile.

“What is it?” asked Severus warily.

“Do you want to learn elemental Magic?”

“Elemental Magic?” asked Severus, repeating the words with wide eyes.

Happy nodded, eyes sparkling.

“There is a reason House Elves are powerful and dreaded by most.”

Severus agreed. Wizards tended to forget this fact. If the current Defiance was accepted by Hogwarts, they might be reminded sooner rather than later.

“When do I begin?”

“You will not begin your apprenticeship before being able to use your powers as a House Elf, including feeling through magic and elemental magic. Tomorrow should be soon enough right?”

Severus hesitated. He wanted to learn now.  
Happy laughed again.

“Severus. Enjoy your first day as one of us. Dary is waiting for you.”

Surely enough, his friend was waving at him, already two plates full of cakes in his hand. Severus smiled ruefully at Happy then went to his friend. He had a family now. It would take time to get used to it.


End file.
